Factor 9 completed its 22 show Edinburgh Festival Fringe run on August 24th - continuing from its spring tour to Sweden, Denmark, Wales and around Scotland with a trend of strong reviews and very enthusiastic audiences which were visibly moved by the production. The production's Edinburgh Fringe run would not have been possible without the financial support of 180 individuals and several charities, the majority associated directly with the contaminated blood products disaster.

@sivy9 The 1st #edfringe2014 show I saw was #Factor9 and it's still the most powerful, vital and thought provoking @dogstartheatre @Summerhallery

Factor 9 by Hamish MacDonald from the testimonies of Bruce Norval and Robert Mackie & directed by Ben Harrison, opened on March 11th 2014 at Profilteatern, Umea Sweden, as part of the city's celebration as 2014 European Capital of Culture. Through personal testimony, video diaries, scientific imagery and soundscape, the play tells the story of the blood products tragedy, where many thousands of haemophiliacs and others were infected with HIV, Hepatitis and CJD through the administration of contaminated blood products. This is the greatest disaster in the history of the British National Health Service and one which has affected many countries across the world. This project was supported by Creative Scotland and Umea Capital of Culture 2014 and produced by Dogstar in association with Profilteatern. Following its week long run in Umea, the production toured to Denmark, Wales and Scotland.

"Factor 9 is also a furiously skillful play. Everything works: the timing of the actors, the lighting, the sound and video projections…Be sure to see it. It is an important play about a black time"Anders Sjögren, Västerbottens-Kuriren Sweden

“Factor 9 says what it has to say about a mighty public scandal, in a vividly theatrical style that no-one who sees it is ever likely to forget” Joyce MacMillan, The Scotsman ****

“…an unforgettable, high quality and hard-hitting play spotlighting a story of national importance. It also deserves to be seen across the world because it dramatises a global tragedy.” Margaret Chrystall, Inverness Courier *****

“The playwright got it just right….powerful and very human.” Paula Murray, Sunday Express

With the characteristic tight turnaround between shows, fellow companies and Summerhall were excellent in making this possible. Following David Cameron’s decline of an official invitation to attend the show we subsequently sent emails to the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, Minister of Culture and to many MSPs and MPs to follow the example of Scottish Cabinet Minister Shona Robison, Rhoda Grant MSP, Jean Urquhart MSP and Lord David Steel, all of whom attended performances of Factor 9 in April 2014. WE were delighted that MSPs Malcolm Chisholm & Richard Lyle attended.